Bimbi Park

Bimbi Park is a large campground among the tall gums at Cape Otway, inland from the coast. The Great Ocean Walk passes the property, making it a handy stop for walkers as well as an overnight base for exploring the area. Come for a wooded campground and the chance of wildlife, not a beachfront resort or full-service hotel.

You can book bush, powered or unpowered sites, plus cabins, retro vans, glamping tents and camping pods. Campers use shared toilets, showers and the camp kitchen; some cabins have private bathrooms. Families also have mini golf, a splash park, a playground, basketball and table tennis.

There is a shared camp kitchen and dining room, a barbecue area, laundry and a kiosk. Treat the kiosk as a top-up rather than a grocery shop and bring the food you need for your stay. Walkers on the Great Ocean Walk can arrange supplies, catering or shuttle support through the park; check ahead rather than assuming those services are included.

Wild koalas are the standout: visitors often spot them in trees above campsites and cabins, but they are wild and never guaranteed. You may see birds and wallabies around the grounds too. On a clear night, the low light pollution makes the Milky Way and Southern Cross easier to pick out.

Cyril Marriner's Otways horse rides began in 1972, with overnight camping on the property. Local scout groups started camping here in 1976, and the caravan park was registered as Bimbi Park in 1980. Horse riding ended in 2018; the Great Ocean Walk now passes the property for walkers looking for a place to stop.